Points to note when doing business within Eire:
[SIZE=6]Irish business etiquette: how to avoid coming across as an eejit[/SIZE]
17 March 2015
Ireland is one of Europe’s largest cross-border fund domiciles, with the country registering the largest growth in assets under domiciliation in the EU during the last quarter of 2014.
While Ireland is an English-speaking country and has historically had close links with both the UK and US, people looking to do business in the Emerald Isle should not expect its culture to be exactly the same as its big trading partners.
In fact Lorna McDowell, an executive coach at XenerGie Coaching, says Irish people get “really annoyed when foreigners forget that Ireland is a separate country” to the UK.
“They might speak the same language, but they have very different cultures,” she says.
Experts say there are a number of things people should keep in mind when it comes to Irish business etiquette.
Relationships are king
Ms McDowell recommends that the first thing anyone looking to do business in Ireland should do is build strong relationships and networks.
“It can take a while to get into a network. But once you are in a network, it opens doors,” she says.
Irish people will often ask questions about where you come from to try and “get a sense of you”, or to find out if you have any connections in common, Ms McDowell adds.
Kieran Fox, director of business development at the Irish Funds Industry Association, agrees: “Spending a bit of time getting to know someone and finding out common connections is important.”
Pamela Fay, business coach and etiquette expert, says it is important to work on both personal and business relationships. “That means having a bit of chit-chat at the beginning of conversations or meetings, which can surprise people from other cultures,” she says.
Experts advise asking about people’s family or talking about sport, especially rugby, football and the Irish sports of hurling and Gaelic football.
Ms McDowell adds: “If an Irish person doesn’t like you, they won’t do business with you.”
Drop the formalities
While the use of titles such as Mr, Ms or Dr might be common in some European countries, Irish people typically favour first names, even for very senior staff, says Ms McDowell.
“You would be quite surprised if someone introduced themselves by their formal title,” says Feargal Dempsey, an exchange traded fund consultant.
Even if a person has a PhD, they are unlikely to use the doctor title, adds Mr Fox. “I have worked with a lot of PhD graduates and only ever met one in Ireland who used the title Dr.”
Company cultures also tend not to be very formal or hierarchical, with senior people happily chatting to junior people when they meet, says Ms McDowell.
“It would absolutely be the case that someone very senior would go and talk to a junior person casually,” she adds.
Humour is important
A sense of humour is important for anyone looking to do business or work in Ireland, says Ms King. She says Irish people can be sarcastic and also often tease each other, which can be a shock to those from other countries.
“Don’t be offended by our sense of humour. It does take a bit of getting used to,” says Ms King.
Mr Dempsey adds: “You need to appreciate that it is quite a dry sense of humour and don’t treat it too seriously.”
Adopt a modest approach
Irish people tend to be quiet humble, which can be a shock for people from countries such as the US where self promotion is more common, says Ms McDowell.
Ms King advises that it is better to avoid talking “too much about your achievements”.
“[Irish people] think that someone is full of themselves if they are talking about themselves all the time,” she says.
Instead just provide the bare facts about your achievements. “If people want to know more, they will ask the question,” she adds.
Understand that yes does not necessarily mean yes
In Gaeilge, the Irish language, there are no directly translatable words for yes and no – and this can translate into business situations too, experts say.
Ms King says: “We are very polite in meetings and don’t like saying no.”
Ms McDowell adds: “What you might find with an Irish person is they sometimes say yes when they mean no.”
Ms King says that for this reason it is important to put some effort into the questions you are asking in order to get a straight answer.
Embrace your social side
Ms McDowell says that while stereotypes about drunk Irish people do not usually hold true, the Irish are social.
Visitors should accept offers to go for a coffee or even a drink, if possible, she advises.
“If there are [work] drinks on a Thursday, you should show up, even for an hour,” says Ms King.
“Make sure you buy a round. If you are offered a drink, always buy one in return,” says Ms McDowell.
The Irish enjoy a sing-song and like when other people share songs from their own culture while socialising, she adds.
“If you can sing a song, you can certainly impress your colleagues,” she adds.
Show your respect at funerals
Ms McDowell says one thing that often shocks people about working and living in Ireland is that “if someone dies, it is a big deal and everyone goes [to the funeral]”.
This means that “you would be expected to go to the funeral” if a colleague’s parent or another family member dies, she says.
This is very different to the UK and other countries, she says, where funerals tend to be smaller and more private.
Mr Fox agrees: “Family occasions such as funerals are important. I have gone to the funerals of colleagues’ close family members, or offered to go.
“I think it is important that there is at least a representative of the team or workplace there in attendance. It is considered a mark of respect.”
International bosses who manage Irish staff also need to keep in mind that their employees are likely to ask for time off to attend funerals.
“This can be a big change for bosses coming into Ireland. But funerals are really important to Irish people,” says Ms McDowell.
Stick to a handshake
The handshake is still the most common method of greeting someone and cheek kisses should generally be avoided, especially if meeting someone for the first time, experts say.
“A solid handshake is probably the default. A cheek kiss would be used more when greeting a female colleague who you have known for some time,” advises Mr Fox.
“You will be measured on your handshake. If you have a really weak handshake that will be remembered,” says Ms McDowell.
Watch out for nuances of language
While Irish people speak English, they have made the language their own. Phrases such as “giving out”, which broadly means to complain, chastise or tell off and is taken directly from its Irish translation, or eejit, meaning idiot, are very common.
Ms King says one UK firm she worked with struggled to get to grips on the Irish use of lads, which is used as a collective noun for both men and women.
It is also worth keeping in mind that bad language is prevalent in business and outside of it, says Ms King.
“The other thing is we speak very quickly. It can be difficult for others to understand us,” she adds.
Finally, Irish people can be sensitive about the name of their national day, with Dublin Airport launching a campaign about this last year.
March 17 is known as St Patrick’s Day, Patrick’s Day or even Paddy’s Day by the Irish. But calling it St Patty’s Day is a sure-fire way to rile up an Irish person, says Ms King.
“It is wrong. It is St Patrick’s Day, not St Patty’s day,” she adds.
